Performing regular inspection, service and overhaul as well as unscheduled repair work on tall structures such as towers, pylons, masts or chimneys does often involve climbing the structure. Due to the considerable height of said structures such work requires very effective fall arrest or fall protection systems that ensure the safety of workers climbing the structures. Such systems normally include safety lines that are attached stationary or removably to the structures. In both cases they are normally secured to a top portion of the structure and are guided along the full height thereof by straps or the like that are attached to a leg of a tower etc. Workers connect their personal protection equipment (PPE) to the safety line of the system in connection with each climbing. In WO03/039681 A1 is disclosed an example of such a fall arrest system that is specifically intended for transmission line towers or pylons that support high-voltage transmission lines. Due to the great risks involved and to the stationary placement of the fall protection systems, causing them to be exposed to various weather conditions, regular inspection (e.g. once each year) of the stationary attached systems is a requirement. In addition to a considerable investment cost for the systems having a stationary safety line attached to each structure, such as the towers of power transmission lines, the mentioned inspection is very time consuming and thereby adds to the expense.
Safety lines being removably attached to a structure must be reinstalled by a worker climbing the structure every time that they are to be taken into service. In other words the safety lines of such systems must be secured to the top of the structure and re-guided through the straps. Not only does this require much expensive reinstallation time but it also requires special safety measures each time a safety line shall be fitted by a worker climbing the structure.